From pv magazine India
Researchers at India’s MIT World Peace University (MIT-WPU) have developed a liquid organic hydrogen carrier (LOHC) system capable of transporting hydrogen in a stable liquid form that is non-flammable, non-explosive, and manageable at normal temperatures and pressures.
The proposed technology addresses one of the biggest barriers slowing the widespread adoption of hydrogen in India.
“The innovation began when Ohm Cleantech Pvt. Ltd. (OCPL) approached MIT-WPU to solve a challenge that had remained unresolved at major institutions,” said the research's lead author, Rajib Kumar Sinharay. “There was no documented methodology available globally, so the research team had to conceptualize and build the entire process from scratch.”
Details of the proprietary method remain confidential as OCPL advances international patent filings.
“The progress achieved marks a major step forward for safe, innovative, cost-effective, and scalable hydrogen transport,” said Siddharth Mayur, founder of OCPL. “It strengthens our efforts as we move ahead with international patent filings. OCPL is excited to advance this research toward a commercial product aligned with the National Green Hydrogen Mission and the vision of AtmaNirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India) as envisaged by Honorable Prime Minister Narendra Modi.”
Despite being one of the cleanest fuel options available, hydrogen has been difficult to integrate into energy systems due to its highly explosive nature and the extreme conditions required for transportation. Currently, hydrogen is either compressed into high-pressure cylinders, often exceeding hundreds of times atmospheric pressure or liquefied at temperatures below 253 C. Both methods require complex infrastructure, extensive safety measures, and significant investment, making transportation one of the most expensive components of the hydrogen supply chain.
MIT-WPU’s LOHC innovation addresses these challenges through a two-stage chemical process.
During the hydrogenation phase, hydrogen is chemically bonded into a specially designed organic liquid, converting the gas into a safer liquid form for storage and transport. In the dehydrogenation phase, hydrogen is released at the point of use, while the carrier liquid remains reusable. Because the hydrogen-rich liquid can be handled like conventional fuels, it can be transported using existing tankers, storage facilities, and potentially standard pipeline networks—significantly reducing costs and transport risks.
Laboratory results place India at the forefront of LOHC development. The MIT-WPU team achieved complete hydrogen storage in just two hours, compared with approximately 18 hours reported in comparable global studies. The process operated at a lower temperature of 130 C, versus the typical 170 C, and at a relatively low pressure of 56 bar. Nearly 11,000 litres of hydrogen were stored within just 15.6 litres of the carrier liquid. In dehydrogenation trials, the team successfully recovered 86% of the stored hydrogen, with ongoing research aimed at further improving efficiency.
“The ability to transport hydrogen like any other industrial liquid removes long-standing safety and regulatory barriers,” said Datta Dandge, research advisor. “This breakthrough has the potential to accelerate the national hydrogen mission and reshape clean-energy logistics for transportation and heavy industry.”
The research was conducted in MIT-WPU’s advanced hydrogen laboratory, which is equipped with an autoclave system capable of operating at temperatures up to 350 C and pressures of 200 bar. The team is now focused on refining the process and scaling it from laboratory success to industrial deployment.
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